1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in the field of animal restraints, and more particularly to advantageous aspects of an improved apparatus and method for restraining a laboratory animal.
2. Description of Prior Art
In laboratory and veterinary environments, there is often a need to temporarily restrain animal subjects, such as rats, mice, and the like. Conventionally used animal restraint systems suffer from a number of disadvantages. One such animal restraint system provides a cage having a number of removable restraining rods that are held in position with nuts. In order to load an animal into the cage, the restraining rods must be completely removed from the cage by loosening the nuts, thereby creating an opening to receive the animal. Once the animal is in position within the cage, the restraining rods are reinstalled into the cage and the nuts are retightened. However, the loading of an animal into the restraint having this construction is a cumbersome procedure, typically requiring the cooperation of multiple personnel to hold the animal in position within the cage while simultaneously reinstalling the restraining rods and retightening the nuts. Additionally, such a restraint system is difficult to clean. Moreover, with restraints having this type of construction with a number of removable parts, it is possible for these parts to become lost, or to be accidentally dropped or misplaced during the process of loading an animal into the restraint.